Personality-based approach may be key to partnering with robots
Patricia Riippa, Army Research Laboratory ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. — Human facial expressions could be one of the keys in building trust between Soldiers and autonomous agents. “We wanted to characterize and quantify factors that impact the emotional experience that humans have with trust in automated driving,” said Dr.... Read more
The U.S. Army’s Warplane Recognition Guide Is Hilariously Wrong
The U.S. Army publishes an official “Visual Aircraft Recognition” manual whose purpose, according to the manual itself, is to “assist the user in the technique of identifying friendly, hostile or foreign-country aircraft.” “This manual provides information on current operational aircraft that may be observed worldwide or in the combat... Read more
U.S. Army Lobs a Bunch of Tiny Satellites Into Orbit
Military satellites used to come in one flavor — big, expensive and long-lived. As in, billion-dollar spacecraft the size of school buses remaining in orbit a decade or more. But that’s changing. More and more, spacefaring armed forces are switching to tiny, shoebox-size “nanosatellites” or “cubesats” — named for... Read more
The Thai Army Thought I Was a Terrorist
The Thai government rarely opposes researchers studying the conflict in the country’s violent south. My friends Don Pathan, a freelance journalist, and Duncan McCargo, a professor at the University of Leeds, reported no problems traveling there despite the raging insurgency that has claimed thousands of casualties. Michael K. Jerryston,... Read more
First Two Women to Graduate From U.S. Army Ranger School
The first two women to graduate from one of the U.S. Army’s most rigorous training programs will do so on Aug. 21, 2015. They will be the first women to sport Ranger tabs on their uniforms, signifying their completion of the vigorous Ranger School. The school is usually–but not exclusively–attended... Read more
Watch the U.S. Army’s Mock Battle Inside a Nuclear Reactor
Originally published on Nov. 16, 2014. “GAS! GAS! GAS!” The shouts echo up a dimly lit stairwell. Soldiers hastily wrap their faces in gas masks—the only thing protecting their lungs from a deadly, weaponized poison. American troops are raiding a nuclear facility and they’re looking for weapons of mass... Read more

Kevin Knodell

Contributing Editor